Taking pictures of women in Qur’aan teaching centres and showing them on satellite channels

Question

What is the ruling on photographers entering Qur’aan teaching centres to take pictures of a lesson given by one of the female daa‘iyahs, knowing that the photographer will move among the women who are listening to the lesson, so that they can show their pictures in a lesson that will be broadcast on an Islamic satellite channel?.

Women are
obliged to cover their entire bodies in front of non-mahram men, because of
evidence that we have quoted previously in the answers to questions no.
11774 and
92801

It is not
permissible to allow anyone to take pictures of women when their faces are
uncovered or to transmit these pictures on satellite channels or otherwise.

We have
previously discussed the negative consequences of women participating in
satellite channels -- even if they wear niqaab. Please see the answer to
question no. 134785

Shaykh ‘Abd
ar-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him) was asked: What is
the ruling on a female daa‘iyah appearing on TV in full shar‘i hijab for the
purpose of da‘wah and fatwas?

He replied:

Praise be to
Allah. To proceed:

The basic
principle is that the woman is fitnah in her image and her voice. The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I am not leaving
behind me any fitnah more harmful to men than women.” (Agreed upon). Hence
those who follow their whims and desires are very keen to introduce women
into all media programming, both audio and video. Based on that, it is not
permissible for a woman to appear on TV, even if she is wearing hijab, in
the name of da‘wah and giving fatwas, because innumerable men will listen to
her even if she only appears on the channel on the basis of teaching women.
Moreover, there is no need for her to undertake da‘wah and issue fatwas via
TV channels. The basic principle is that that is to be done by men, and men
are more suited to that. Throughout Islamic history men have been the ones
to teach, call people to Islam and issue fatwas in the mosques and so on.
They are the khateebs and imams. It is not permissible for women to do any
of these things unless it is among other women.

Moreover it is
well known that women’s participation in video and audio media results in
things that are contrary to sharee‘ah, such as their going out
unnecessarily, mixing with men, making images of them even if they do wear
hijab. This results in negative consequences that Islam came to prevent, as
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O wives of
the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to
Allah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of
hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire,
but speak in an honourable manner.

And stay in
your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of
ignorance”

[al-Ahzaab
33:32-33].

A woman may be
making a display of herself in her clothing even if she wears hijab.

Based on the
above I say: It is not permissible for a woman to appear on satellite TV
channels as a daa‘iyah, mufti or teacher. Rather she should restrict her
da‘wah activities to her fellow women at home or in a school or in the
women’s prayer space in the mosque.

On this
occasion we advise our sisters who are in charge of Islamic channels to fear
Allah and not to be deceived by the words of those who have wrong views and
do not see anything wrong with women appearing on Islamic channels and even
promote that and support it with specious arguments. It is sufficient to
note that this is in accordance with the whims and desires of modernists,
who do not care about anything but falsehood or that which leads to
falsehood. Hence they like the Islamic channels on which women appear and
they regard them as keeping pace with modern times, and they do not like the
channels on which no women appear and they regard them as backward and
describe the people in charge of them as being extremists. These people are
like those of whom Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“but those
who follow their lusts, wish that you (believers) should deviate
tremendously away from the Right Path”

[an-Nisa’
4:27].

We ask Allah
to guide us to the straight path and to keep us away from the path of those
who earned His Anger and of those who went astray. End quote from
Shabakat Noor al-Islam.